Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1887-03-12
SUPERSTITIONS OF ENGINEERS.
Ra1Irsad Men Who Obey Omens-The White
RabbIt-A PILOTS Story.

"Railroad engineers, as q rule, are a
superstitious class Of persons" said an
old railroad man. "1ney have foolish
fancies and attach importance to signs
and warnings; but know Of instances
where hundreds of lives have been saved
by engineers fancies and superstitions.
For over thirty years | have been q rail-
road conductor, and during that time I
have seen and heard many things that
under ordinary circumstances | would
have discredited. One of the best en-
Gineers that ever ran on the West Shore
Railroad was a man named Bronson.
tne morning, just before starting time,
while he sat chatting with the fireman,
the engine bell suddenly rang out three
times. As neither the engineer nor fire.
man had touched the bell, and as no
oiher person was on or around the engine.
the men felt troubled over the stran . e
circumstance. They regarded it as an
Ill omen and both men were filed with
dread. he rain started on its journey,
and mile after mile was quickly Travelled,
the engineer meanwhile keeping an
ANXIOUS lookout for danger. When
within, about An eighth of a mile of a
rocky cut, the bell again, apparently Of
It's own accord, sounded three ominous
notes, clear and distinct. / he engineer
beside himself with terror, exclaimed
Ny God, Bill It's a warning CT some
great danger, and | believe it's our duty
10 stop. I'm soing to shut her down if
lose my place By it, The engine came
to a sudden standstill, and within ten
feet of the engine, lying across the track
was a great rock several tons in weight.
which had become loosened by a recent
storm, and broken away from the great
mass above. A terrible calamity was
averted and hundreds OF lives saved.
And now III tell you of another in
stance" continued the same speaker, 'of
how an engineer lost his life By not heed
inc a voice of warming One Of the most
careful and trusted engineers on our road
was james WEIGH. One morning his wife
noticed that he was not in his usual
Cheerful frame of mind, and questioned
him about it. He told her that he was
not i'll, but he said he had a premonition
that he would be killed during the dav.
HIS wife, being a sensible woman, did
not sncer or laugh at his fears, begged
him to stay at home that day. WEIGH,
who was a disbcliever in signs and
omens, laughed at his fancies and went
to his death. Two hours later the en-
glneer WAS lying, crushed to death, ut
tie bottom of a deep ravine.'
Yes, | know such things to be true"
SAID another man. SILLY as it NAV
seem, l wouldn't run a train after see-
ing a white rabbit cross the track. with
out first stopping to investigate, if l
were to he made president of the road.
l remember one dark night we were
scootlng across country at q pretty lively
rate, When all Of a sudden, saw a white
rabbit dart across the track Just in front
OF the engine. The wee thing gave me
such a look in that brief second that
something compelled me to stop the
train. Ihe conductor and train men
came rushing up to the engine to find
out the cause Of our sudden halt, and it
didn't take long TO fiEd out either. Only
a few lect ahead on the track were some
heavy logs. They had most likely been
placed there and tied down by tramps,
who In the confusion of q frightful &C
cldent, such as would have taken place
If | hadn't stopped the train. would
have robbed and ~plunderei the dead
and dying passengers.'s :